In the BRAC Bank conference room, four-year-old Nabil sat quietly, his face resting on his mother Nazmun Nahar's shoulder. Still recovering from a mild fever, the child seemed unaware of the gravity of the moment — his mother receiving a life insurance claim cheque following the sudden death of his father, Ariful Islam.

Nazmun Nahar, a resident of Nabinagar upazila in Brahmanbaria, lost her husband just a month ago. Ariful, a 30-year-old freelance graphic designer, was hospitalised for 23 days with jaundice. Though his condition initially improved, he died suddenly of a heart attack after a brief struggle for breath.

Locals in the haor region call a violent storm "Afal" — a word that now symbolises Nazmun's emotional turmoil. Yet, just months before his death, a wise decision by Ariful shielded his family from financial disaster. He had taken out a life insurance policy through BRAC Bank's bancassurance service, underwritten by Pragati Life Insurance.

Nazmun recently received Tk12.28 lakh under that policy, easing the burden of her loss.

Syed Abdul Momen, additional managing director and head of SME banking at BRAC Bank, said, "Ariful used to do full-spectrum banking with us, including bringing in his dollar income from freelancing. When he visited one of our branches in April this year, he was advised to take out life insurance through bancassurance for future security.

"We have always maintained that if any insurance is taken through BRAC Bank, the premium is easy to pay and the claim is settled quickly. Although Ariful had paid only two instalments of his 12-year policy before his death, his family received the full claim promptly because he was insured through our bank."

Nazmun said she received the cheque within two days of submitting the required documents. "I plan to open a fixed deposit account with BRAC Bank. The interest income will help cover my father-in-law's medical expenses and my son's education," she said, adding that her goal is to raise Nabil to be an ideal person.

The insurance claim cheque was formally handed over to Nazmun by Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, managing director and CEO of BRAC Bank; Md Jalalul Azim, managing director and CEO of Pragati Life Insurance; Syed Abdul Momen, additional managing director and head of SME banking at BRAC Bank; Mahbubur Rahman, chief bancassurance officer; and Jahurul Islam, head and senior vice-president of the bancassurance department at Pragati Life Insurance.

BRAC Bank is pioneering customer convenience by integrating traditional banking and insurance services under one roof. The bank offers a wide range of coverage — including life, health, automobile, and travel insurance — through leading partners such as MetLife Bangladesh, Pragati Life, Green Delta, and Pioneer Insurance.

Launched in 2024, BRAC Bank's bancassurance service allows customers to access insurance directly through its branches, making coverage more accessible and ensuring financial inclusion and security for people across Bangladesh.

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